Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-05-04
HOUSE OF CON MONS.
A Wrangle Over an Alleged Breach of
Privilege.

LONDON, May 3.
Lewis, conservative, in the House of Com
mons this afternoon called the Houses at
tention to the breach of privils g. commi ted
by the London Times in the article charging
Dillsn with having told falsehood when he
denied the papers allegation that he was an
accomplice of Sheridan, the invincible
Lewis concluded as follows "These whole
sale charges of lying against Dillon consti-
tute a di.unct breach of privilege | move
that the House take notice of them
NUM-, another conservative, seconded the
motion.
Speaker Peel, answering Dillon, said if
the House decided that the article quoted by
Lewis was breach of privilege motion
could be made calling the offenders to the
bar of the House to answer for their conduct
in committing the breach.
Rt. Hon. w. II. Smith. on behalf of the
government, moved that the House adjourn
i'll order that the question Of fact might be
argued.
Dillon said be desired to have the question
brought to an issue right of. He denied the
right of Lewis to take the course of putting
him on the defensive until his acCusers were
brought TO the bar Of the House. When the
publisher of the Times stood at the bar he
(Dilon) would prove him as base and cow
ardly a liar as ever existed. (Psrnellite
cheers
Sexton said the Irish party had been chsl-
lepged much lately, and had been taunted
with not taking up the challenge Now they
took i t up and insisted upon an inquiry by
the House. (Cheers Sexton, continuing,
said it was for the assembly Of English gen
tleman to say whether its Irish members
should be exposed to the attack of every ruff
fan calling himself an editor of newspaper.
The House should let the Irish members have
an inquiry by the committee, "then' said
Sexton, "let the Times bring forward its bat.
tallion of forgers and liars Irish member.
will prove that they have been subjected to 8
system of moral Assassination. They will be
able to fully justify Themselves" (Cheers
Bradlaugh opposed Smiths motion and
charged the government with conniving al
the offering of Lewis motion and thai
the debate was a concerted plan TO place r
the hands of the conservatives the weapon
to assist the in the passage of the odiou
coercion bill.
Holmes, attorney general for Ireland de
MED that the motion was made with the con
nivance of the government He never heart
of the motion until it was made. On behal
of the government be disclaimed aDy inten
tion of postponing the debate for party pur
poses. If the publisher of the Times was a
once called to the bar Of the House the House
would b unable to hear the evidence in sup
port OF the charges, and if would be required
10 decide the question of hand. In the ab
sence of the publisher or other responsible
persons a motion to adjourn for inquiry va,
the st way to arrive at the truth.
Gladstone opposed the motion 10 adjourn
He said Dillon had been charged With hsyini
stated deliberate fslsehood while address
ing the House. If anything constituted I
breach of privilege, this was breach. Th'
parties accused demanded an immediate
trial. 1t was impossible that the Hous'
could resist.
division was then taken on the motion t.
adjourn, resulting in a vote of 2l3 in favo
of the motion and ia against it.
Smith moved that on Thursday the House
| resume the consideration of the question.
Sexton moved that it be taken up tomor
row.
Dillon demanded to know whether the'edi
tor of the Times would be brought to the oal
of the House.
Smith could only say the usual cour.s
would be f1llowe6
1t was then agreed to take the question W
again tomorrow.